
With the country’s advocacy for environmental protection, the application of solar energy has become increasingly widespread, and solar street lights have emerged as popular new lighting products. Solar street lights alleviate the pressure of illumination; they absorb solar energy during the day, convert it into electrical energy, and release it for lighting at night, making them a low-carbon and environmentally friendly option. However, solar street lights also have a lifespan. What factors affect the lifespan of solar street lights? Here, we will introduce the key points.
1. Lighting Source
Solar street lights typically use LED light sources because they have low light decay, long lifespan, and high brightness. However, many people still insist on using other light sources, such as low-pressure sodium lamps or low-pressure fluorescent lamps. While these light sources are cheaper, their lifespan is shorter and their quality may be relatively inferior. Of course, even among LED light sources, the quality and lifespan differ according to price. Higher-quality LED street lights can last over 10 years, while standard LED sources may only last 3 to 5 years.
2. Controller
The controller in solar street lights plays a very important role as it effectively manages the status of the battery and indirectly protects the solar street light. A good controller should be highly precise and stable in performance, capable of controlling, monitoring, and protecting the battery components as well as the energy storage battery. The functionality and stability of controllers differ according to price, and their lifespan can also vary. To ensure longer operation of solar street lights, it’s advisable to purchase a controller of better quality.
3. Starter
Different starting methods require different ballasts or driver power supplies, which significantly affect the light source, especially for LED sources. Generally, constant current sources are used, and the quality of the constant current source along with the appropriateness of its set parameters for the light source are crucial. This mainly depends on constant current accuracy, output parameter efficiency, and protection circuit specifications.
4. Storage Battery
The storage battery is the most critical component of solar street lights, serving as the core of solar energy by storing electrical energy. If the storage battery malfunctions, the overall performance of the solar street light will be compromised. Therefore, when purchasing solar storage batteries, it is important to choose batteries with stable performance, and during installation, ensure they are sealed properly to prevent water ingress.
The above points summarize the factors affecting the lifespan of solar street lights. In general, the main factors influencing their lifespan can be categorized as mentioned. It is important to pay attention to these aspects when selecting solar street lights to effectively reduce failures and ensure their longevity.